Silence is not golden. Well, some silence is, like when the infant next to you on the plane finally stops screaming, but when it comes to real estate, especially when you're a vendor, silence is definitely not what you want.
It is often said that communication is the key to any successful relationship and real estate is certainly no exception. As a vendor, your relationship with your Agent is paramount, as is true vice versa. For this relationship to be successful, there must be open and honest communication, and I've blogged about the importance of honesty previously. As an Agent your livelihood also depends on your ability to build a relationship with the prospective buyers you come into contact with. Having a fantastic relationship with your vendor is marvelous, but it's not going to count for much if every buyer you come into contact with ends up despising you. And if that happens, and you can't sell the property as a result, chances are that will ultimately sour the great rapport you have with your seller too – it's all a big communication circle. Almost makes you want to sit down and sing Koom Bai Ya, doesn't it?
An Agent needs to be motivated to maintain a relationship with their client over the long term. It is our job in this industry to assist people with the buying or selling of a property, and such a big decision with such involved and sometimes confusing transactions deserves the respect of clear, ongoing communication. Relationships with real estate clients need to be actively managed and maintaining the appropriate level of contact reassures clients that their best interests are your priority, and that you are forward thinking.
Effective communication will also ensure that the person on the receiving end hears your message in the way it was intended. A well communicated message, even when the news isn't the greatest, will be better received than a poorly communicated message. How often have you been told something, even by someone you really like, in a manner which made it almost impossible not to have an unfavourable response? Now imagine if the news was really bad AND you were being told it in an equally offensive way – me thinks perhaps clients may begin to look for alternate service providers!
Ineffective communication is a major obstacle in almost every aspect of life. Well, clearly not for those silent monks in Europe, but for those of us in real estate we can never afford to lose sight of the fact that effective and most importantly, ongoing communication is king. Your clients, and your bottom line, will thank you for it.